Apparatus for making projectiles



Jan. 28, 1958 E. 1.. BEECHER APPARATUS FOR MAKING PROJECTILES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1- Filed Oct. 2, 1953 IN V EN TOR. ea v5 A. EEEC/J'o? Jan. 28 1958 Filed Oct. 2, i953 E. L. BEECHER APPARATUS FOR MAKING PROJECTILES 5 Sheets- Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

I 7W ATTQIQN ys Filed Oct. 2, 1953 Jan. 28; 1958 E. L. BEECHER 2,821,099

APPARATUS FOR MAKING PROJECTILES 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 P76. .9 fie. m H6. 11 fie. 12

INVENTOR- fZ/G'NE 1.856605? MQQ I drroemsys United States Patent APPARATUS FOR MAKING PROJECTILES Eugene L. Beecher, Cleveland Heights, Ohio Application October 2, 1953, Serial No. 383,822

7 Claims. (Cl. 80--23) The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing bullets and, more particularly, to an apparatus for, and method of, manufacturing a bullet by rolling.

A bullet in flight is in the nature of a gyroscope rotating at high speed and must have its center of form and center of gravity coincide on its trajectory line in order to have a true flight. For this to be true the bullet must be concentric about its axis throughout its length as well as being free of trapped air. It is also desirable to be able to control the weight of the bullet so that a group of bullets having uniform weight may be produced.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved apparatus for producing a high accuracy bullet by rolling.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved apparatus for manufacturing bullets, especially bullets having a beveled base, from a blank comprising a hollow generally cylindrical jacket closed at one end and filled with lead, which apparatus includes means for rolling the bullets to the desired shape whereby concentricity of the bullet with its axis is assured throughout its length.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved apparatus for rolling into a bullet blanks comprising a hollow generally cylindrical jacket closed at one end and filled with lead, the apparatus being so constructed and arranged that the bullet is progressively completed from its base to the nose whereby trapped air is substantially eliminated from within the bullet and the nose of the bullet is at least partly formed by lead extruded from the jacket during the rolling process.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved apparatus for manufacturing bullets, especially bullets having a beveled base, which comprises a plurality of rolls for shaping the blank into the bullet whereby the bullets produced are of substantially the same weight in spite of the use of blanks of different weights.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved apparatus for manufacturing bullets from blanks comprising a plurality of rolls for shaping the bullet and means for hollowing the nose of the bullet during the shaping operation.

Further and additional objects and advantages will become apparent hereinafter during the detailed description of an embodiment of the invention which is to follow.

The present invention contemplates manufacturing by rolling a bullet which may have a beveled base and a hollow nose from a blank comprisinga hollow jacket open at one end and filled with a soft metal such as lead. The blank preferably contains an excess of lead over that required in the completed bullet. The rolling is such that the bullet is progressivly completed from its base to its nose extruding lead during the rolling operation and eliminating trapped air from within the jacket. The

jacket of the blank preferably has a diameter slightly larger than the completed bullet whereby the jacket is elongated during the rolling operation. The extruded lead is rolled to form the nose of the bullet.

The preferred embodiment of the apparatus for accomplishing the rolling comprises a plurality of rolls, one of which has the complete counterform of the bullet thereon, the rest of the rolls being shorter in length than the master roll. The rolls are so arranged and supported that the blank when inserted therein tends to travel in a direction toward the end of the master roll which is designed to shape the base of the bullet and to complete the bullet progressively from the base to the nose, the point of the nose of the bullet being formed solely by the portion of the master roll extending beyond'the remainder of the rolls.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a rolling machine constructed according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detailed plan view of the rolls of the machine of Fig. 1 and the mechanism associated therewith for forming a hollow nose bullet;

Fig. 4 is a detailed showing of the driving roll and the gearing associated therewith taken along line 44 of Fig. 2 and,

Figs. 5 through 10 illustrate the shaping of the bullet.

Fig. 11 is a front elevational view of a hollow nose bullet.

Fig. 12 is a side elevational view of the bullet of Fig. 11.

Referring to the drawings, the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a base A having a motor 9 mounted thereon for rotating a driving roll 10 which cooperates with a master roll 11 and a regulating roll 12 to shape a blank 13, shown in Fig. 8, to the configuration of a bullet B. The blank 13 comprises a hollow generally cylindrical jacket 14 having a cylindrical core 15 comprised of lead or other suitable material therein. The master roll 11 is supported with its axis generally horizontal by a block 16 mounted on the base A. The roll 11 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 17 supported between spaced support members 18 extending vertically from the upper side of the block 16. In the illustrated embodiment progressive steps in the the support members 18 are integral with the block 16 and constitute the ends of a recess in the upper rear portion of the block. The shaft is supported in aligned apertures in the support members and may be removedby driving the shaft therefrom to allow master rolls of various configurations to be used.

The upper front portion of the block 16 is cut away to form a step having a generally vertical surface 20 and a horizontal surface 21. The regulating roll 12 is supported forward of the master roll 11 having upwardly extending legs 23, 24. The member 22 is adjustably mounted in the step portion of the block 16 and the regulating roll 12 is rotatably mounted on a shaft.

25 supported between the legs 23, 24 of the member 22. The shaft 25 may also be removed. from the supporting legs 23, 24 so that various regulating rolls may be used The adjustable mounting for the member 22 comprises a post 26 secured to the front of the block 16 by a screw 27 which threads into the face of the block. A second screw 28 passes through the post, 26 and threads into the U- shaped member 22. The member 22 may be rotated about the axis of the screw 28 to adjust the inclination of the axis of the regulating roll are threaded through the bottom of the U-shaped member and engage the horizontal surface 21 of the step in the block 16. The two screws 29 are located on opposite sides of the post 26 and may be adjusted to determine thev inclination of the U-shaped member 22 with respect to' by a U-shaped member 22,

12. Two set screws 29' the, horizontal axes. of the other rolls. The U-shaped membe 22 is also Provided with a pa f. s rew 31! in each of the legs 23, 24'to engage the surface 20 and determine the spacing of the U-shaped member 22 therefrom. Horizontal; screws 31 are also provided in each leg 23,, 24. The screws 31 pass through the legs 23, 24 and thread into the block 16to secure the member 22 in position after the various setscrews have been adjusted. It should be noted that the distance between the post 26, and the vertical surface 20 ofthe block 16 is greater than the width of the member 22 in order to allow room for adjustment of the roll along a horizontal line. The above described mounting allows the regulating roll to be moved both vertically and horizontally and to be rotated in a vertical plane about the, horizontal axis. of screw 28.

The driving roll is mounted above the rolls 11, 12 in a carrier 32 with the axis of the roll generally horizontal. The carrier 32 is hingedly mounted for movement toward and away from the other rolls on a horizontal shaft 33 supported between the gibs 34, 35.. The gibs 34, 35 are bolted to opposite sides of the block 16. The carrier 32 has a U-shaped cross section including legs 37, 38 and the driving roll 10 is keyed to a shaft 39 removably supported between the legs 37, 38 of the carrier. The shaft 39 forthe roll 10 extends through the leg 38 of the carrier 32 and has a gear 40 mounted on the right hand end thereof as the shaft is viewed in Fig. l. The gear 40 is driven by a gear 41 continuously in mesh therewith and mounted on the end of a shaft 42 which is driven by the motor 9 through a gear reduction unit 43. The axis of the shaft 42 lies along the same line as the axis of shaft 33 about which the carrier 32 swings when moving the roll 10 toward and away from the other rolls. This permits the carrier to be rotated while the motor 9 is running since the gears 40, 41 form a planetary gearing allowing the gear 40 to walk around gear 41.

A bullet may be shaped from a blank comprised of a hollow generally cylindrical jacket 14 which is closed at one end as illustrated in Fig. 6 and having a lead core inserted therein. The blank 13, however, is preferably preformed as shown in Fig. 8 to a rough configuration of a blunt nosed bullet which includes a part of the ogive 45 of the bullet. In the preformed blank illustrated in Fig. 8 the lead core 15 protrudes a short distance from the open end of jacket 14 but not as far as the nose of the completed bullet. Use of the preformed blank will assure that the bullet is completed from the base to the nose when placed into the rolling apparatus. The blank 13 preferably contains an excess of lead or other soft metal over that required in the completed bullet and the jacket 14 is of slight- 1y larger diameter than the completed bullet so that it will be elongated slightly during the forming operation.

The carrier 32 may be rotated about the shaft 33 to move the roll 10 away from the other rolls to allow a blank to be placed on the rolls by means of a handle 46 threaded into the carrier. The driving roll may then be lowered into engagement with the blank. As the driving roll 10 contacts the blank, the blank will be rotated by means of knurled cylindrical sections 47, 48 which are located at spaced distances along the roll. The knurled sections 47, 4,8,will not only cause the blank to rotate on the other rolls but will impress cannelures on the body of the. bullet.

The axis of the regulating roll 12 is inclined with respect to the axes of the other rolls so that rotation of the blank thereon causes the blank to. move toward the right hand end of the rolls as viewed in Fig. 1. This rearward travel of the blank forces it back against a shoulder 49 carried hyithemaster roll 11 and adapted to form the base end 50 of the bullet. The shoulder 49 projects radially from the roll 11; for a distance which causes it to overlap the center of the base end 50.v The master roll 11 as illustrated in Fig. 3,,has the complete form of the bullet thereon and functions during the shaping process to shape the entire contour of the bullet. The regulating roll 12 and the driving roll 10 terminate at points shortof the shoulder .49 and do not function to form the base end of the bullet. The regulating roll 12 is so shaped and of such length that it will aid in forming the ogive, part of the nose, and part of the bevelled portion 51 of the bullet if a boattail bullet is being manufactured as in the illustrated embodiment. The driving roll 10 is shaped as illustrated in Fig. 4 so as to aid in forming a portion of the ogive 45 and a portion of the boattail of the bullet.

Completion of the blank takes place progressively from the base of the bullet to the nose. As the bullet is formed lead is extruded and forced forward to complete the nose 52 of the bullet. The jacket 14 is also preferably elongated during the rolling operation. The base of the nose 52 constitutes part of the ogive and is formed by the cooperation of the three rolls. The point of the nose however is formed entirely by a portion of the master roll 11 extending beyond the other rolls. This enables a very sharp pointed nose to be formed which is concentric with the axis of the bullet and not oil center with respect to the end 50. Fig. 9 shows the bullet as it is when removed from the machine including a thin needle-like portion or filament extending from the point and made up of the excess lead which was present in the blank 13. The portion of the master roll which forms the point of the bullet, radially terminates just short of the axis of the bullet to allow the extrusion of the excess lead during the rolling operation. Since the bullet is at all times being rolled so it is completed from the base end to the nose, any air trapped within the bullet will be extruded during the rolling operation.

Stop mechanism is provided to limit the movement of the carrier 32 and roll 10 toward the other rolls and comprises a bracket 53 mounted on the front of the carrier when the carrier is in the position shown in Fig. 1. The bracket includes a transverse bar which threadedly supports a stop screw 54 adapted to engage the top of post 26 to limit the downward movement of the carrier 32.

Suitable mechanism is provided for manufacturing a hollow nose bullet and comprises an L-shaped bracket 55 having arms 56, 57 extending at right, angles to each other. The arm 56 is bolted to the gib 34 and the arm 57 extends substantially horizontal from the gib 34 along a line substantially parallel to the shaft 33. The arm 56 is provided with an aperture lying along the extended axis of a bullet being rolled which allows a rod 58 to pass therethrough and move axially thereof. The rod 58 lies along the extended axis of the bullet being rolled and carries a pointed tool 59 at the right hand end thereof which is adapted to hollow the nose of a bullet being shaped by the rollers 10, 11, 12. The rod 58 may be moved axially by a lever 60 pivotally secured at one end to the left hand end of arm 57 and to a link 61 at a point intermediate the ends of the lever. The link 61 is in turn pivoted to a collar 62 threaded on the left hand end of rod 58. The pointing tool 59 may be moved inwardly a suflicient distance to properly locate it for hollowing the nose of the bullet as shown in Fig. 1.

Stop nuts 63 are threaded on rod 58 intermediate the collar 62 and the arm 56 to limit the movement of the lever 60 toward the rolls 10, 11 and 12. When a hollow point bullet 65 is being made the master roll 11 illustrated in Fig. 3 is replaced by one which is adapted to roll a blunt-nosed bullet and allow passage of the, pointing tool past the left hand end thereof. The pointing tool ismounted so that it moves along the axis of the bullet. During the shaping operation the lead is extruded in the same manner as above described and thepointing tool 59 acts as a removable mandrel to form the hollow nose. This method of forming a hollow nose bullet assures concentricity of the hollowed nose with the axis of the bullet.

Preferably the. rolls of the, rolling apparatus are of different diameters as illustrated with, the drive roll' having a larger diameter than the other rolls. The use of a larger drive roll appears to produce a better bullet which may be due to the fact that the idling master and regulating rolls are rotated at a faster rate than the drive roll.

The above described apparatus for rolling the blank into a bullet simultaneously work-hardens the bullet during the shaping. Thus the present invention provides a method of and apparatus for simultaneously shaping and case hardening a bullet.

It can now be seen that the present invention provides a method and apparatus for manufacturing bullets which assures concentricity of the bullet throughout its length as well as enabling the weight of the bullet to be closely controlled. The method and apparatus of the present invention also eliminates trapped air from within the bullet and enables a sharp point located on the axis of the bullet to be easily obtained.

While the illustrated apparatus utilizes a single drive roll it is obvious that more than one roll could be driven if so desired and that the drive could be applied to any of the rolls which are used to shape the bullet. It is likewise apparent that the machine could be provided with a hopper and ejecting mechanism to automatically feed blanks and eject the completed bullets as will be well understood by those skilled in the art.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in considerable detail. The invention, however, is not so limited and it is hereby intended to cover all adaptations, modifications, and constructions which fall within the ability of those skilled in the art and within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a machine for manufacturing bullets, a plurality of cooperating rolls for shaping the bullets including a master roll and a regulating roll, means rotatably supporting said rolls, said master roll having a portion at each end extending beyond the ends of the other rolls and being shaped so as to form the point and the base of the bullet, respectively, and means for driving at least one of said rolls, said regulating roll having its axis inclined at such an angle with respect to the other rolls so as to cause a blank when rotated thereon to travel toward the extending portion of the master roll adapted to shape the base end of the bullet.

2. In a machine for manufacturing bullets, a plurality of cooperating rolls for shaping the bullets including a master roll, a drive roll, and a regulating roll, means journally supporting said drive roll for movement toward and away from the other rolls, said master roll having portions extending beyond the ends of the other rolls and being shaped so as to form the point and the base of the bullet, and means for driving at least one of said rolls, said regulating roll having its axis inclined with respect to the axis of the other rolls so as to cause a blank when rotated thereon to travel toward the portion of the master roll adapted to shape the base end of the bullet.

3. In a machine for manufacturing bullets, a plurality of cooperating rolls for shaping the bullets including a master roll and a regulating roll, means journally supporting said regulating roll for movement along two lines perpendicular to each other in a plane perpendicular to the axes of the other rolls, said means pivotally supporting said regulating roll for rotation about a line through the mid point of its length and in a plane perpendicular to the first said plane, said master roll having portions extending beyond the ends of the other rolls and being shaped so as to form the point and the base of the bullet, and means for driving at least one of said rolls, said regulating roll having its axis inclined at such an angle with respect to the other rolls so as to cause a blank when rotated thereon to travel toward the portion of the master roll adapted to shape the base end of the bullet.

4. In a machine for manufacturing bullets having a base end and a nose end, a plurality of cooperating rolls for shaping a blank into a bullet including a roll having a portion at one end thereof adapted to form the base of the bullet and a roll having its axis inclined with respect to the other of said rolls to cause said bullet to move toward said portion upon rotation of rolls, means for rotatably supporting said rolls, and means for driving at least one of said rolls.

5. In a machine for making bullets having a base end and a nose end, a plurality of cooperating rolls for shaping a blank into a bullet including a roll having a portion at one end thereof adapted to form the base of the bullet and a roll having its axis inclined with respect to the other of said rolls to cause said bullet to move toward said portion upon rotation of the rolls, means for rotatably supporting said rolls, means for driving at least one of said rolls, and means for adjusting the inclination of the axis of said inclined roll.

6. In a machine for manufacturing bullets, a plurality of cooperating rolls for shaping the bullets from blanks including a master roll and a regulating roll, said master roll having a portion at each end shaped so as to form the point and the base of the bullet respectively, means rotatably supporting said master roll, means rotatably supporting said regulating roll with its axis inclined at an angle with respect to the other rolls so as to cause a blank when rotated thereon to travel toward the portion of the master roll adapted to shape the base end of the bullet, means for driving at least one of said rolls, and means for adjusting the inclination of said regulating roll.

7. In a machine for manufacturing bullets, a plurality of cooperating rolls for shaping the bullets including a master roll and a regulating roll, said master roll having a portion at each end shaped so as to form the point and the base of the bullet respectively, means rotatably supporting said master roll, means rotatably supporting said regulating roll with its axis inclined at an angle with respect to the other rolls so as to cause a blank when rotated thereon to travel toward the portion of the master roll adapted to shape the base end of the bullet, means for adjusting the inclination of said regulating roll, and means for driving at least one of said rolls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 365,980 Fairbairn July 5, 1887 481,081 Tweedie Aug. 16, 1892 682,600 Butler Sept. 17, 1901 915,307 Polte Mar. 16, 1909 1,059,212 Ross Apr. 15, 1913 1,318,860 Fries et a1. Oct. 14, 1919 1,325,768 Warner Dec. 23, 1919 2,309,360 Southwell et a1. Jan. 26, 1943 2,342,917 Brown Feb. 29, 1944 2,573,634 Whipple Oct. 30, 1951 

